America Rains Missiles on Syria: Who all are fighting whom in al-Assad's country

7 Apr

New Delhi - Syria has been a battleground for past six years. Bashar al-Assad's regime is fighting against a rebel faction, the Kurds, the Islamic State and a few other jihadi groups. These groups are also fighting against one-another displacing more than half of Syrian population from their homes.

If things go the same way for some more time, the Oxford dictionary may consider introducing a synonym for war as Syria.

Syria is at war with itself for past six years. Every single group of some power that you may think of is fighting with the other. Even those, one can't think of is vying for its share in the land that nourished one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

The Syrian civil war began in March 2011, when the entire west Asia and northern Africa was under the sway of spring revolution. It began as a peaceful protest against the ruling family of Syria.

THE BEGINNING OF SYRIAN CONFLICT

The al-Assad's family is controlling the country since 1971 when Hafez al-Assad became the President of Syria and established a totalitarian regime under the Ba'ath Party. The present President Bashar al-Assad succeeded Hafez upon his death in 2000.

The first signs of revolt were seen in Deraa in the first half of 2011. By 2012, the full-fledged fighting had spread to several areas with Aleppo emerging as the focal point where fierce fighting still goes on.

The Arab Spring movements of 2011 inspired thousands of civilians to protest against al-Assad's family rule citing widespread corruption and unemployment demanding a new democratic government for better livelihood. In next few months, the protests turned violent and armed groups appeared all over Syria.

Syrian army, officially called the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) suffered mass defections. The rival group consolidated under the banner of Free Syrian Army. This army fights for the rebel faction against the regime.

WHO ALL ARE FIGHTING NOW IN SYRIA

Besides the regime and rebel armies there are jihadist groups, regional and international powers fighting in Syria.

The regime army has over 2,00,00 regular soldiers coming from the national defence forces. It has support from Lebanon's power Shia militia Hezbollah, the Iranian government forces, Iraqi and Afghan fighters.

In 2015, Russia entered the fray when it launched air strikes in support of the al-Assad's forces.